Effects of a High Porous Material on Heat Transfer and Flow in a Circular Tube

Abstract

This paper describes the heat transfer and flow characteristics of a heat exchanger tube filled with a high porous material. Fine copper wires (diameter: 0.5 mm) were inserted in a circular tube dominated by thermal conduction and forced convection. The porosity was from 0.98 to 1.0. The working fluid was air. The hydraulic equivalent diameter was cited as the characteristic length in the Nusselt number and the Reynolds number. The Nusselt number and the friction factor were expressed as functions of the Reynolds number and porosity. The thermal performance was evaluated by the ratio of the Nusselt number with and without a high porous material and the entropy generation. It was recognized that the high porous material was effective in low Reynolds numbers and the Reynolds number, which minimized the entropy generation existed.